Hoisin-Glazed Pork Chops

Hoisin sauce can be made 4 days ahead; cover and chill. Thin with water if needed before using. Pork can be marinated 1 day ahead; keep chilled.

Makes 4 servings.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons Sriracha
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 x 1 1/2″-thick bone-in pork rib chops (about 1 pound each), patted dry

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring often, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, honey, vinegar, tahini, and Sriracha and whisk until smooth. Cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture is thick and smooth, about 5 minutes. Season hoisin sauce with salt and pepper; let cool.

Season pork chops all over with salt and pepper. Place in a large resealable plastic bag and add half of hoisin sauce (reserve remaining sauce). Seal bag, pressing out air, and turn to coat pork. Chill at least 30 minutes. Set remaining sauce aside.

Preheat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, or grill pan over medium heat. Remove pork from bag, shaking off excess marinade. Cook pork chops until bottom side is golden brown, about 1 minute. Turn and cook on other side about 1 minute, then turn again. Continue to cook, turning about every minute, until chops are deep golden brown and charred in spots and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 135 degrees, 15-18 minutes. (Cooking time will depend on thickness of the chops.) Transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 10 minutes. (Pork will come to 145 degrees as it sits.) Serve with reserved hoisin sauce spooned over.

We thank the March 2016 issue of Bon Appetit for this recipe.

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Skillet Huevos Rancheros

Eggs1/2 onion, diced
Olive oil
Bell pepper, kale, zucchini, mushrooms (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 cups cooked, rinsed beans (black beans, pinto, cannellini, or heirloom beans)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons water
4 x 6-inch tortillas
4 eggs (1 per serving — you can add more if you want)
Cracked pepper

Optional:
1/2 cup crumbled cotija, queso fresco, feta or goat cheese (optional)
1 large avocado, sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Hot sauce
Additional fresh diced tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large pan over medium heat, sauté onion in a little olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes (if you are adding optional veggies, do it now, cooking until tender). Add garlic and sauté for a minute or two. Add half of the diced tomatoes (saving half for garnish) as well as the beans, spices, salt and water. Let simmer on medium low for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

Brush large cast iron skillet with olive oil, coating the edges too. Lay tortillas down and brush tops of tortillas with oil.

Divide bean mixture, making little indentations with the back of a spoon for the eggs to rest in, so they stay in place. If using a large skillet, layer the tortillas so they come up the sides of the skillet a bit (you may need a couple extra), and spread all of the beans evenly over the tortillas, making indentations for the eggs.

Carefully break the eggs and place them in the indentations. Sprinkle eggs with salt and pepper and, if you want, crumbled cheese, and place in the hot oven.

Check after 10-12 minutes. Cook until egg whites are white and yolks are to your desired done-ness. Serve with avocado, lime, cilantro, hot sauce, and fresh tomatoes.

We thank Feastingathome.com for this recipe.

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Leeks Braised with Garlic and Wine

leeks

This dish is a nice transition from winter to spring. Sometimes we still need comfort food, especially when we’re tired and not quite ready to embrace longer, warmer, sunnier days. This dish can be tossed with pasta or with hearty greens.

4 big leeks, well washed and patted dry
4 big cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
6 tablespoons butter
2 wineglasses of white wine
1 cup chicken stock
Half a lemon, sliced
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Trim the brown ends of the green leeks off and discard. Then cut the rest of the fresh, green part of the leeks away from the round white bulbs. Finely slice the green parts and reserve. Rinse the white parts well and slice into 1-inch rounds.

In a large shallow frying pan melt the butter over medium heat. Slowly fry the garlic in the butter with the dark green leek tops until the garlic is softened but not colored. Go slow and let the garlic infuse the butter.

Add the pieces of white leek and toss them in the flavored butter. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss as well. Pour into a baking pan, squeeze the lemon over and toss it in, then pour the wine and stock in and cover with a square of baking parchment.

Bake in the oven at 350°F for 35 minutes or until tender and tasty. The butter should emulsify with the stock and wine to create a slightly shiny broth. Pour over a batch of pasta, or eat directly from a bowl with a large spoon!

Recipe adapted from thekitchn.com.

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Parmesan Polenta with Sausage Ragù

Cornmeal, different grinds

Both the polenta and the ragù can be made ahead of time, for a quick, easy, yet delicious weekday meal.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound Nash’s Italian sausage
1 red onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/4 cups Nash’s medium-grind cornmeal (use the coarse grind if you like a more rustic texture)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat; add sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add tomatoes and boil; simmer until thick, 20 minutes. Add basil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring sea salt and 5 cups water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan. Slowly add cornmeal and cook, stirring constantly, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy, 8 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining oil, Parmesan, and salt. Divide between bowls and top with ragù; garnish with more Parmesan. Serves 4.

We thank Saveur.com for this recipe.

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Beet Slaw

Sliced beets

Betalains are a class of phytonutrient found in beets that have been studied for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification support. These fragile plant compounds can be lost in the cooking process, so this recipe offers a way to eat beets while preserving the valuable betalains —raw!

Beets make a delicious and gorgeous slaw, a perfect side dish to a picnic as we welcome the spring weather.

8 medium beets, grated
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Grated peel from one orange
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Depending on how juicy your beets are, you may want to squeeze with a paper towel to pull out moisture that will make the dressing too watery.

Vigorously whisk cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, grated orange peel and honey in small bowl. Gradually beat in oil. Pour 3/4 of the dressing over the beets and mix well.  Add the rest if needed. Add caraway seeds and toss. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.

Recipe adapted from www.thekitchn.com.

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Kidney Bean Sloppy Joes

Kidney beans

We are rolling into picnic season, so we thought we’d offer a meatless version of this classic. It makes about 8 servings.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup dried Nash’s kidney beans, soaked for 12-24 hours, drained, and cooked
8 rolls of your choice

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and green pepper and sauté until tender. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, chili powder, tomato paste, vinegar, and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Prepare cooked kidney beans by roughly chopping before adding to the skillet. Once added, cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Spoon bean mixture evenly into rolls of your choice and serve immediately. Enjoy this childhood classic!

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com.

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Hominy

Painted Mountain Corn

This hominy has a satisfyingly chewy texture and really lets the flavor of the corn shine through.

Soak corn overnight. Rinse. Boil for 3 hours with sifted wood ash. (Clean ash from hardwood is best, but softwood ash works as well.) Use about 1/2 cup ash for 1 quart of corn.

Rinse and rinse and rinse until no more ash is in the corn. Fry with butter and salt. Enjoy!

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Kale Raab with Lemon and Butter

One bunch of green kale raab, against a background of Nash boxes

This simple recipe is a perfect side dish to any spring meal.

1 bunch kale raab, stalks and leaflets
1 tablespoon butter
Juice from half a lemon
Splash of white wine or sherry

Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cut the very ends off the raab and rinse well. Then, add the whole lot (still wet) to the pan. The kale should be moist enough for the sauté, but don’t hesitate to add a splash of water or chicken broth if the pan starts to dry. Sauté over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the leaves wilt and the stems are fork tender.

Add the lemon juice and a splash of wine. Sauté the kale for a moment longer, and serve while still hot.

Recipe adapted from OutlawGarden.com.

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The Perfect Pork Chop

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rub down the chops with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, etc.

Heat up a skillet (cast iron, if possible) on medium-high with a little lard, oil, or butter. When ready, put chops on skillet for 2-3 minutes per side, until browned. Put the whole skillet in the oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. This is important to make the perfect pork chop!

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Hearty Vegetable and Red Lentil Soup

On some days, a bowl of warm soup can soothe your senses and bring comfort. This vegetable lentil soup recipe from Mercola.com reader Marina Korsakova-Kreyn does just that by providing a harmonious blend of different vegetables and spices for a mouthwatering experience.

3 cups red lentils
1 large onion
5 medium carrots
5 medium potatoes
1 large sweet potato
1 inch fresh ginger root
4 medium cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
Salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon dry seaweed mix (optional)

Boil 3 quarts filtered water in an 8-quart pot. Add lentils. Add all vegetables (washed, uncut, and unpeeled) to the boiling water. Add ginger (peeled but uncut) and 3 cloves of garlic.

Add turmeric, curry powder, salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Cook vegetables, ginger and garlic until ready, about 30 minutes. Use a ladle to take them out on a big plate, and let them cool for about 20 minutes (while lentils continue simmering).

Blend cooled vegetables, ginger, and garlic in batches with generous amount of filtered water. Return to pot with now-cooked lentils and reheat. Add finely minced clove of garlic (add salt if needed).

Note: If using seaweed, reconstitute them in 2 cups of boiling water, let them cool, and then blend along with vegetables.

Prep and cook time: 2 hours
This recipe makes 20 servings.

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